Officers Help Children Play Santa in ‘Shop with a Cop’ in Calvert

On Saturday, December 14, a total of 47 Law Enforcement Officers from Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police, Natural Resources Police, Charles County Sheriff’s Office and Prince Georges County helped children play Santa.

The children were picked up at their homes by the officers in their official vehicles and transported to Outback Steak House in Prince Frederick, where they were treated to a bountiful breakfast buffet. As soon as breakfast was done, the officers and children got back in the official vehicles, with lights and sirens blaring, paraded down Church Street and up Route 4, to the Prince Frederick Wal-Mart for shopping.

This year 70 children, recommended by school counselors, participated in the Shop with a Cop in Calvert. Each child had $150 to spend to buy gifts for members of their families and themselves. It was really amazing to see these children shopping and looking to get the biggest bang for their dollars. The officers were enjoying it also and guiding the children with their choices. Most of the children came with a list of what they wanted to get and this made shopping easier for a lot of their partner officers, who probably do not do a lot of shopping.